Tag Archives: bacon

Smoky Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon Topping

Posted on March 23, 2013 by | 6 Comments

Adapted from and Inspired by Bakeaholic Mama

Mac n Cheese with Bacon Topping from She Cooks, He Cleans

I recognize that I use every excuse in the book to eat anything dripping with cheese and/or bacon….but this time I really needed some comfort food.  If any of you have ever had a pinched nerve in your back, you know what I’m saying.  Ouch!  Although I was unable to bend over, Mr. He Cleans was there to get pots and pans out of the cabinet and to shuffle casseroles in and out of the oven – still while providing great music and keeping my (medicinal) wine glass filled.  He does it all!

I saw this recipe on Pinterest and started drooling.  To better describe it, I renamed it OMGBBQMACNCHEESEBACON.  I modified it for the ingredients I had on hand, and served it with barbeque chicken off the grill, instead of putting the chicken in the dish.  It was freaking awesome.  My back felt SO much better – although I’m not sure how much that was due to the wine and not the oooey-gooey cheesy macaroni and bacon.  Does it really matter?

Ingredients:

  • 12 ounce box gluten-free pasta (Jovial GF pasta is excellent)
  • 6 slices crispy, cooked bacon, crumbled
  • 1 tablespoon bacon drippings, reserved from cooking bacon
  • 2 tablespoons butter (preferably pastured)
  • 2 tablespoons rice flour (or other gluten-free flour, to thicken)
  • 2 cups half and half
  • about 6 ounces gruyere, grated (2 cups, loosely packed)
  • about 4 ounces cheddar or smoked cheddar, grated (1 cup, loosely packed)
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon Spanish hot smoked paprika
  • freshly ground black pepper

Cook the pasta in boiling water, for just less of the time recommended on pasta’s directions.  You want it to be slightly underdone, with a little firmness to the bite.  Set aside.

Lightly butter a casserole dish.  Preheat oven to 350F.

In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter with the tablespoon of reserved bacon drippings.  Whisk in the flour until well-blended, and cook for about a minute, stirring constantly. Whisk in the half and half, breaking up any clumps.  Continue to cook at a simmer, stirring, until the mixture thickens up to a gravy consistency.  Remove from heat and stir in the cheeses until everything is melted and smooth.  (Do not heat to a boil once cheese is added – it may separate.)

Stir in the cooked pasta until well combined.  (Mine was a little thick – I added a bit more half and half here to help it mix together.)  Pour into the buttered casserole dish.  Top with the crumbled bacon.

Bake for 15 minutes, covered with a lid or foil.  Remove the cover, and bake for another 10-15 minutes until it is bubbly.  Remove from oven and let it sit a few minutes so you don’t hurt yourself with hot cheese in your mouth.  Enjoy!

Mac n Cheese with Bacon Topping from SheCooks, He Cleans

These are leftovers – the original casserole was covered with bacon!

___________________________________________________

nightProud to serve She Cooks! Glad you’re feeling better! Today’s music will make anyone feel better. Roots singer/songwriter Tift Merritt has joined up with classical pianist Simone Dinnerstein on Night, and it’s one of the most intriguing and beautiful pieces of music I’ve heard in a long time. Finding common ground in the works of Billie Holiday, Bach and Brad Mehldau among others, the result is ethereal and emotional. Merritt’s voice and guitar coupled with Dinnerstein’s piano create a sound that is haunting and timeless. Fans of Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen and especially the late, great Nina Simone should give this a listen. An early contender for album of the year.

→ 6 Comments

Posted in Side dishes

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bacon-Wrapped Turkey Breast

Posted on February 10, 2013 by | 5 Comments

bacon wrapped turkey

Outside of winter holidays, we rarely have turkey.  For some reason, I never think about turkey – and for the two of us, even a small whole turkey is too much.  A 2-3 pound turkey breast, however, is just right for a meal or two, plus a couple of sandwiches.  I ordered this boneless, skinless turkey breast from Tendergrass Farms, with pastures located in southwest Virginia.  I’m really impressed with their support of local, grass-fed, family farms and their mission: “By implementing rigorous grass fed standards we are able to offer naturally raised meats of distinction that are truly unparalleled in terms of animal husbandry and welfare, culinary refinement and flavor, as well as purity and wholesomeness.”

Of course turkey breast is extremely lean, so I had some concerns that it might dry out while roasting.  I did two things to help prevent this from happening.  First I brined the turkey for a couple of hours, to add moisture and enhance the flavor of the meat.  Next, I decided to blanket the breast with woven bacon strips while it roasted.  Whether it was the superior nature of pastured turkey, the brine, or the bacon…it turned out juicy and very tasty!

[The next day, we sliced up some leftover turkey and bacon for sandwiches, using this grain-free bread.  Slice the bread and toast it for the best taste and texture.]

Ingredients:

  • 2-3 pound boneless, skinless turkey breast
  • 8-9 slices bacon
  • freshly ground black pepper or pepper blend
  • fresh sage (optional)

For brine:

  • 1/4 cup kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup organic cane sugar, coconut palm sugar, or honey
  • 5 cups of water

Mix the brine ingredients in a resealable plastic bag.  Shake vigorously until the salt and sugar have completely dissolved.  Place the turkey in the bag, squeeze out the air, and seal.  Allow to brine, refrigerated, for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.  Take out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking to return to room temperature.

bacon wrapped turkey

Turkey breast in blanket of bacon – before roasting.

Place 4 strips of bacon on a flat surface (such as a cutting board), parallel to each other.  Starting at one end, place one strip of bacon perpendicular to the others, and weave it through the 4 strips (i.e. over, under, over, under).  With the next strip of bacon, weave it in using the opposite pattern from the first (i.e. under, over, under, over).  (You probably already knew how to weave, didn’t you?) Continue until you have a bacon blanket large enough to cover the top surface of the turkey breast.  Try to keep the bacon pieces close together.

Season the brined turkey breast with pepper. Place the turkey breast on the bacon, flip it over so the bacon is on top, and tuck the loose strands of bacon underneath.  Stick a few leaves of fresh sage underneath the bacon in spots, if desired.

bacon wrapped turkey 2

Turkey breast in blanket of bacon – after roasting.

Preheat the oven to 375F.  Place the turkey on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.  Roast until the internal temperature at the center of the breast reaches 165F.  (Roast time for this turkey was approximately 2 hours, but may vary with different ovens and/or weight of turkey,)  Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

bacon wrapped turkey 3

candiGood stuff and not just for Thanksgiving anymore…how can you go wrong wrapping something in bacon? Yum! Yummy music as well. First up is Candi Staton with His Hands. Staton, know as the “Queen of Southern Soul” for her days at Fame Studios, returns with this great collection of songs including “You Don’t Have Far to Go” and “His Hands” from Will Oldham. This is old-school smouldering soul that gives the great voice of Staton room to move.

Taj Mahal has been a pivotal figure in roots music since his days with Ry Cooder in Rising Sons in the late ’60s. He broadens his reach on Kulanjan with Toumani Diabate. Mahal’s metal National guitar finds a common ground with Diabate’s tajkora, and the result, produced by Joe Boyd is mesmerizing. From Muddy Water’s “Catfish Blues” to songs of Africa, this is a spellbinding meeting of musical cultures.

→ 5 Comments

Posted in Entrees, Pork, Poultry

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sunday Morning Bacon and Swiss Quiche

Posted on January 5, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Quiche bacon-swiss

Prospects are grim for getting breakfast in this house, any day of the week. That’s the reality when the cook of the house is not a breakfast eater, made more difficult when the cook does not really care for the taste of eggs. My poor husband subsists on nuts, berries, and yogurt most of the time, biding his time for lunch to come around. One happy compromise we sometimes make is to go eat at a diner, where he can eat omelets to his hearts content and I can have a pork chop and a salad.

If the spirit moves me, I’ll try to cook something on the weekend with eggs. Fried eggs, poached eggs, scrambled eggs, eggs over easy, and omelets – I take a couple of bites and that is plenty. Quiche, however, is tolerable. Good quiche is nothing more than a custard tart, and I like custard. The addition of cream transforms those eggs into something silky and, well, not so eggy. I don’t always have good luck with quiche recipes. Sometimes they are eggy, or end up dense, flat and soggy. Yuck. This one turned out billowy, like a golden cloud coming out of the oven. It’s a keeper!

This is a back to the basics recipe, modified from Betty Crocker. I think it turned out pretty well – I ate a large piece of it and that is a statement to its goodness. If you want to make your own pie crust, you’re going to have to look elsewhere for a recipe because my pie crust comes pre-made.

Ingredients:

  • One pie crust (of your choice) for a standard 9-inch, 1 1/2 inch deep pie plate
  • 8 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
  • 1 tablespoon bacon fat
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
  • 6 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded (I used cave-aged Emmenthaler)
  • 4 large eggs (preferably from pasture-raised chickens)
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated pepper
  • dash of cayenne pepper, dash of nutmeg

Pre-bake the pie crust: Preheat oven to 425F. Place the (thawed) crust in the oven and bake until it just begins to brown (10-15 minutes). If it bubbles up, push the bubbles back in place with a spoon. You may want to put a strip of aluminum foil around the edge of the crust for part of the cook time to prevent over-browning .

When the crust is done, reduce the oven temperature to 325F.

Prepare the filling: Using about 1 tablespoon of reserved bacon fat, saute the shallots for a couple of minutes to soften (do not brown). Set aside.

In a medium bowl, slightly beat the eggs together. Mix in the cream, salt, pepper, cayenne, and nutmeg. Beat until well-combined.

Sprinkle about half the bacon in the bottom of the baked crust. Add the cheese, then the remaining bacon and cooked shallots. Pour the egg and cream mixture over the bacon and cheese. Bake at 325F for 45-50 minutes, until knife inserted into center of quiche comes out clean. Allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving.

haloI love eggs! There, I said it! And I love these records, too…first up, an older, subtle gem of a record. From the former leader of The Bongos, Richard Barone’s Cool Blue Halo . Released 25 years ago, this live album is a masterpiece of pop, with Barone’s well-crafted songs brought to life in concert with the magical Jane Scarpantoni on cello. Includes a version of Bowie’s “The Man Who Sold The World” that seemingly Kurt stole intact for the “Nirvana Unplugged” session. A truly beautiful and haunting record.

Now for something new, one of 2012′s most lauded releases, Boys & Girls by asAlabama Shakes. Raw, Muscle Shoals/Stax sound wrapped around the incredible vocals of Brittany Howard. What a debut!

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Brunch

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Roasted Cauliflower Soup (gluten-free, dairy-free)

Posted on October 14, 2012 by | 14 Comments

Inspiration: Puree of White Bean Soup from Brasserie le Coze

Avoid doing this.

This week I got a blender, a powerful one, something that incredulously was missing from my arsenal of cooking tools.  I could not wait to take it for a spin.  After making a couple of smoothies, I thought I had the hang of it.  Let’s just say there is a learning curve… more on that later!

Years ago there was a French restaurant in one of Atlanta’s Buckhead shopping malls.  It was in a strange location, but Brasserie le Coze had some fantastic dishes.  I’m sure it was the first place I encountered skate wings in browned butter, one of their classics.  Another favorite was a puree of white bean soup, served in a crock with a drizzle of white truffle oil.  That soup is the inspiration for this recipe, in which I’ve replaced the beans with roasted cauliflower, and taken out the dairy.  (To be honest, I meant to add cream to the soup but forgot during the fiasco with the blender.  However the soup absolutely does not need the cream.) The result is a soup lower in carbs, but with all the depth of flavor of the original.

You may be wondering how I managed to make such a soupy kitchen disaster.  Well, when the instructions with the blender say “do not overfill”, they aren’t kidding.  Of particular note, hot liquids tend to steam quite a bit when you enclose them in a jar under turbo-blending conditions, and even with the vents in the lid, that steam will lift the lid right off the jar and erupt like Mauna Loa.  Lesson learned, thankfully without injury.

Ingredients:

  • 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets (about 8 cups)
  • extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 slices bacon, diced
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 leek, white and pale green parts, chopped and rinsed well
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 1 rib celery, chopped
  • 8 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • ~1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
  • ~1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or 2 t fresh thyme)
  •  salt and pepper, to taste
  • Optional: white truffle oil, bacon bits, to garnish*

* Note: I used ~1/2 teaspoon of truffle salt in the final seasoning, since I did not have any white truffle oil.  Instead I garnished the soup with crumbled bacon bits.

Preheat oven to 400F.  Place the cauliflower in a shallow roasting pan and toss with enough olive oil to coat the cauliflower and the pan.  Roast for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is browned in spots and tender.  Set aside.

In a large Dutch oven or stock pot, cook the diced bacon over medium heat until it renders its fat (do not crisp).  Add a glurg of olive oil, and the onion, leek, carrot, celery and garlic; saute until tender.  Add the roasted cauliflower, chicken broth, rosemary, and thyme.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 1 hour.

Puree (carefully!) with a blender, immersion blender, or food processor – in batches, as necessary.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish each serving with a drizzle of truffle oil, or with crispy bacon bits.

Delicious soup needs a delicious soundtrack, yes? Who better than Catherine Irwin, leader of the great, but unknown Freakwater! Her first album in a decade, Little Heater is a sparse but moving set of songs, born by Irwin’s haunting vocals, akin to Hazel Dickens or Hank Sr.

What, you don’t know Freakwater? Perish the thought! They came around in the initial stages of the “alt-country” movement, and their debut album, Feels Like the Third Time is a classic. Take a listen to the first track- “My Old Drunk Friend”, and I guarantee you’ll be sold on their old country with a kick sound. Tremendous!

→ 14 Comments

Posted in Appetizers, Brunch, Entrees, Soups and Stews

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Maple-Bourbon Smoked Pork Belly

Posted on April 30, 2012 by | 9 Comments

Modified from Los Angeles Times

What a smoking weekend!  Determined to clear out some of the pork products in the freezer, we decided to get the Big Green Egg smoking most of the day Saturday with a pork shoulder roast (aka pork butt) and a pound of pork belly.  We’ve been getting pork belly every month in our CSA share from Moonshine Meats – so far we have only braised it, and I was ready for something different.  The Los Angeles Times had a recipe that caught my eye, and why wouldn’t it with the title “Maple-bourbon hot-smoked pork belly”.  YUM-MEE!

The recipe calls for a three-day brine, but I can’t be expected to think that far ahead.  Our pork belly was in the marinade for a bit longer than 24 hours, and although a longer brine would no doubt increase the flavor, it nevertheless had the sweetly subtle taste of maple and bourbon.  After hours of sitting on the porch with tantalizing wafts of whiskey-barrel-spiked smoke passing by our noses, as soon as the pork belly was done we were unable to resist slicing bits off and eating it with our greasy fingers while we waited for the pork butt.  What a great appetizer – melt in your mouth tender, sweet and smoky!  What we didn’t snack on is destined for another meal, and I am looking forward to it.

One note about preparation of the pork belly – the LA Times recipe said to remove the rind (skin) before marinating, but instead I carved crosshatches in the skin and left it on.  In retrospect, I should have removed it because after smoking, the rind was quite chewy.  It is easily trimmed off after smoking, although some of the flavor is trimmed off with it. Live and learn!

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound (or more) pork belly, rind removed
  • 1 tablespoon mustard seed, toasted and crushed
  • 1 teaspoon coriander
  • several grinds of black pepper
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons bourbon
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

Other special equipment:

  • Smoker
  • Charcoal
  • Drip tray
  • Hardwood chips (i.e. apple-wood; we used Jack Daniel’s Barrel Chips that we had on hand)

Pork belly rubbed with crushed mustard seed, black pepper, and coriander

Wash and dry the pork belly.  Carve crosshatches into the top fat layer, and rub in some of the toasted, crushed mustard seed, coriander, and black pepper.  Place the pork belly in a resealable plastic bag.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining mustard seed and coriander with more black pepper and the maple syrup, bourbon, and salt.  Pour the marinade in the bag and massage it into the pork belly.  Press the air out of the plastic bag and seal.  Refrigerate for at least 24 hours up to 3 days; remix and turn the bag over occasionally.

Prepare the smoker to cook at 225-250 degrees (F).  (On the Big Green Egg, be ready to use the plate inverter, feet up, with a drip pan and grill rack.)  When the coals are ready, throw in the wood chips.  Remove the pork butt from the marinade and set up on the grill, fat side up, over a drip pan.  Close the smoker and let it go for at least 2 hours before peeking in on it.  Keep the temperature of the smoker around 225 degrees.  Smoke the pork belly until the internal temperature reaches at least 150F, per the LA Times recipe.  We took our pork belly to around 170F, which took 4-5 hours. (I forgot to time it….sorry!)  The time and temperature are likely not that important…I don’t think you need to worry about drying out this lusciously fatty piece of meat.

Remove from the smoker and allow to cool slightly.  Slice into thin slices, cubes, chunks, or however you like it!  Refrigerate leftovers.

Nothing beats Grill Day…sitting there smelling the heavenly aroma…but new music day is nearly its equal! Picked up some new releases recently. First up is Ray Wylie Hubbard’s The Grifter’s Hymnal. Ray is a Texas songwriter, a little bit more rocking than most. He’s been around forever- he wrote the classic “Up Against The Wall, You Redneck Mother” in 1973- and his wordplay and musical instincts have rarely been sharper than on his new album. From “New Year’s Eve At The Gates Of Hell” to “Coochy Coochy” with Ringo Starr, this is fine waiting on the pork to cook music!

As is Leaving Eden from the Carolina Chocolate Drops, a jug and old-time band from the Carolinas. They bring the old black string band music into the 21st century, and it’s intoxicating.

→ 9 Comments

Posted in Appetizers, Entrees, Pork, Sauces, Marinades, and Rubs

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Mushroom and Goat Cheese Gratin

Posted on April 7, 2012 by | 8 Comments

If you’re following along, earlier this week I ventured out to the Dekalb Farmer’s Market and brought home a few bags of inspiration for the blog.  Our second meal resulting from that haul was grilled veal rib chops with this savory mushroom and goat cheese gratin.  Although the veal chops were delicious, the mushroom gratin really was the star on the plate (and how could they help but be, baked in these adorable mini-gratin dishes from the Le Creuset Outlet!)

Isn't this adorable?

This gratin has a nice medley of tastes, from the earthy mushrooms, smoky bacon, and the sweet tanginess of goat cheese and sour cream.  If you like mushrooms stuffed with bacon and cheese, just think, this is like having a bowl of those appetizers all to yourself.  Yum!

Ingredients (4 servings):

  • 12-16 ounces mushrooms (I used a mixture of cremini, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms)
  • 4 strips bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • ~2 tablespoons shallots, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/3 cup white wine
  • ~5 ounces soft goat cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 egg
  • ~1/4 cup sour cream
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to sprinkle on top

Preheat oven to 400F.  Butter 4 individual gratin dishes or 1 1-quart gratin dish (or baking dish).

Cook the bacon pieces in a skillet until crisp.  Remove the bacon and set aside on paper towels.

Melt the butter over medium-high heat, in the skillet with the bacon grease.  Add the shallots and garlic, stirring continuously, until fragrant (about 1 minute).  Add the mushrooms to the pan, and saute until mushrooms are softened.  Pour in the wine, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pan while stirring to incorporate any browned bits.  Simmer until the liquid in the pan is reduced to a glaze (just coating the pan and the mushrooms).  Remove from heat.

In a separate bowl, mix the goat cheese, egg, and sour cream until smooth.  Stir the goat cheese mixture and the reserved bacon bits into the mushroom mixture.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Spoon the mushrooms into the baking dish(es).  Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Bake for ~15 minutes, or until bubbly and browned on top. (May also be placed under a broiler for browning, once heated throughout.)  Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.

Somebody say shrooms? HA! Then it must be time for The Flaming Lips! First up, one I haven’t heard – yet- but looks to be a mind expanding exercise…The Flaming Lips And Stardeath And White Dwarfs With Henry Rollins And Peaches Doing Dark Side Of The Moon. I mean really. Oklahoma’s biggest freaks, doing Pink Floyd’s DSOM…with Henry Rollins? And Peaches? Oh yeah!

And you can’t go wrong with the Lips 1999 masterpiece, The Soft Bulletin. Majestic, surreal, and really good freak out pop. Love it!

→ 8 Comments

Posted in Side dishes

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Roast Tenderloin of Beef with Madeira Sauce

Posted on February 9, 2012 by | 10 Comments

From The Fearrington House Cookbook: A Celebration of Food, Flowers and Herbs by Jenny Fitch

Valentine’s Day is coming up, and I know many of you are looking for something really special to surprise your sweetheart.  Well, if the love-of-your-life also loves red meat, I promise that he or she will swoon over this recipe.

The Fearrington House Inn and Restaurant is just outside of Chapel Hill, NC.  If you get a chance to visit, you will find it at the center of it’s own country village – surrounded by green pastures and Belted Cows.  The Fearrington experience is the epitome of Southern grace, elegance, and hospitality.  I bought The Fearrington House Cookbook more than 20 years ago with dreams of living in a sunny cottage in the country with open windows, gardens bursting at the seams with wildflowers and herbs, making my own dried flower arrangements, wreaths and herb-infused oils, and serving miniature ham biscuits to friends that dropped by for tea.  Ha!  I guess I forgot that I’m not independently wealthy and have to work for a living, not to mention I can’t even keep houseplants alive.

Well, enough about the delusions I had in my 20′s.  (My current dreams involve an adobe house, but otherwise aren’t all that different.  There’s always hope!)  Regardless, this cookbook has a wealth of information and a multitude of fine recipes.  This recipe for Roast Tenderloin is a favorite – readily identified by the pages with the most food splatters on them.  What really makes this recipe extra-special is the velvety, creamy, caramel-y sauce, so don’t even think about skipping it. There will be some leftover sauce, if you can restrain yourself from tasting it over and over.  It is also great on pork!

Enough rambling….here’s the recipe, scaled down a little for a cozy romantic dinner (and leftovers) .

Ingredients:

  • 2-3 pounds beef tenderloin roast, trimmed of fat (preferably grass-fed)
  • Kosher salt or sea salt, freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 3 slices bacon, diced, fried, and drained (reserve pan and drippings)
  • 3-4 ounces mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 2 tablespoons oil, suitable for cooking at medium-high to high heat
  • 1 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1 cup Madeira
  • 1/2 cup ruby port
  • 1/4 cup brandy
  • 2 cups brown beef stock or broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 4 tablespoons butter (pastured), at room temperature

To make sauce:

Combine orange juice, Madeira, port, and brandy in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until reduced by half.  (Note: To easily gauge how much the sauce has reduced, I stick the handle of a wooden spoon, straight up, into the pan, then make a shallow gash in the wood to mark the liquid level.  The sauce may boil around the stick, so you have to let the boiling settle before determining the level.  I then use that mark to determine when the sauce has been reduced by half.)

Add beef stock and reduce again by half.  Add cream and reduce by half.  Set aside.  (This takes some time, so be patient.)

To prepare beef:

Butterfly the roast by making a deep incision down the length of the roast so that the meat opens (like a book) and lies flat.  Salt and pepper the inside of the roast, and spread with Dijon mustard.

Saute the mushrooms in the pan with the bacon drippings until the mushrooms are beginning to soften.  Add garlic and shallots; continue to cook for another minute.  Remove from heat.  Add the cooked, diced bacon to the pan and mix.

Spread the bacon mixture down the center of the roast.  (All of the mixture might not fit in the roast, depending on size of roast.  It’s pretty good to eat out of the pan.)  Roll the tenderloin to its original shape and tie with butcher’s twine at 1-inch intervals.  (It helps to tie both ends first, then the middle, to keep the stuffing from falling out.  However, it will fall out while you are doing this.  Just poke it back in once you have finished tying the roast.) Season the outside of the roast with more pepper.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add the roast and sear on all sides until nicely browned.  Remove the roast, and place it seam-side-up in a roasting pan with a rack.  (Note: the roast may be prepared to this point earlier in the day and set aside, covered, at room temperature until ready to be finished.)

To finish:

Preheat the oven to 450F.  Place the roast in the oven, and immediately reduce the temperature to 375F.  Roast until internal temperature is 125-130F (medium-rare), around 20-30 minutes depending on size of roast.  Remove the roast, cover, and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

Bring the sauce to a boil and adjust seasonings.  Remove from heat and whisk in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Slice beef  into approximately 1-inch slices, and serve with the sauce.

Two exceptional albums for Valentine’s Day. First up is John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman, one of the most treasured recordings of Coltrane. His playing is subdued and emotional, but never steps on the rich vocals of Hartman. Even those who wrinkle their nose at jazz love this record.

Can’t have Valentines without Sinatra! And this one, Sinatra/Jobim: The Complete Reprise Recordings, was created during the heyday of bossa nova in the ’60s, and it hasn’t lost a bit of its understated brilliance since. When Frank croons “Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars” against Jobim’s soft guitar, its heaven.

→ 10 Comments

Posted in Beef, Entrees

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

BBQ Chicken, Bacon, and Pineapple Pizza (gluten free)

Posted on January 15, 2012 by | 5 Comments

Santa brought me several bags of Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free, Dairy Free Pizza Crust mix this past Christmas.  Evidently Santa not only knows when you’ve been bad or good, but he also is aware when you have been suffering a serious craving for pizza!  Since I haven’t experimented with making my own gluten-free crust from scratch, I cannot compare this mix to the many recipes out there.  However I can tell you that I appreciated the convenience of having a pizza mix (instead of buying 5 or 6 kinds of flour), and we really, REALLY enjoyed having a slice of pizza that you could pick up and eat properly with your hands!  Thanks, Santa!

For our first pizza, we decided on one of our old favorites – barbeque chicken with bacon, pineapple, and mozzarella!  Since the last post on the blog was Oven Barbequed Chicken, I think you can follow the trail of leftovers leading to this choice.  In truth, there were not enough chicken leftovers, so I ended up making more barbequed chicken using boneless, skinless thighs baked in Bone Suckin’ Sauce.  The method was the same, except I didn’t brown the chicken since there was no need to crisp the skin, and I baked it for an hour until the chicken was tender enough to shred with a fork.

So, how did this pizza stack up to “real” pizza?  If you’re expecting chewy dough with some “pull” to it, you’re not going to find it here.  I’m not sure there is a gluten-free crust out there that has the same texture and consistency of a gluten-containing crust.  Gluten, unfortunately, is what gives bread that stretchy quality.  The crust of this pizza is crispy, and is more reminiscent of biscuit dough.  Is that bad?  Not in our opinion; we gobbled this down as if we had not eaten in years, stopping only to exclaim “mmm” or to grunt “pizza good, pizza good”.

When the weather warms up, I can’t wait to try this on the Big Green Egg!  There’s nothing like the taste of a wood-fired pizza!

Let’s get started building this pizza!

Note:  The pizza mix makes 2 12-inch pizzas.  The dough can be prepared ahead and stored in the refrigerator for several days.

Ingredients (for one pizza):

  • 1 package Bob’s Gluten-Free Pizza Crust Mix
  • Yeast packet (included with pizza mix)
  • 1 1/2 cups warm water
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil + more to coat pan and to handle the dough
  • Sea salt
  • Barbequed chicken thighs, shredded (~2 thighs/pizza)
  • 6 slices bacon, cooked until crisp, coarsely chopped
  • 3-4 slices pineapple, chopped into small pieces
  • Barbeque sauce
  • Fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into bits

Other handy items:  Electric mixer, 2 bowls, clean kitchen towel, silicone spatula, 12-inch pizza pan, pizza stone

Pizza dough rising...

Arrange one rack in the center of the oven, and another rack at the bottom.  Place a pizza stone (if you have one) on the bottom rack.  Preheat oven to 425F.

In a large bowl, combine the warm water and yeast, and allow to stand a few minutes to activate the yeast.  Whisk in eggs and olive oil.  Add the pizza crust mix; blend with electric mixer at medium speed for around 1 minute, or until well combined and dough is coming together.

Gather the dough together in a ball using a silicone spatula, and split it in half.  Place the second half in a separate bowl.  It helps to handle the dough with wet hands – it is sticky.  Cover both bowls with a clean kitchen towel, and place in a warm place to rise for at least 20-30 minutes.  (Near a warm oven is good enough, or you could put the bowls in lukewarm water if the room is cold.  Also, I left the dough out for several hours before using it, and it was okay.  If you are planning on making only one pizza, after the dough has risen, wrap it in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.  When ready to bake, allow to rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.)

Ready for the oven!

Grease a 12-inch pizza pan with olive oil.  Rub your hands with olive oil, and place dough in the pizza pan.  Spread the dough out to cover the pizza pan, with more dough at the edges to contain the sauce.  You will notice here that the dough does not stretch – you just have to smush it in place.  Sprinkle the dough with sea salt and place on the center rack of the oven.  Bake the crust without toppings for 7-9 minutes.

Toppings added - it's starting to look like pizza!

Remove from oven.  Spread a thin layer of barbeque sauce over the surface of the pizza (just a few tablespoons).  Distribute the desired amount of shredded chicken, chopped bacon, pineapple, and mozzarella cheese over the crust.  Slide the pizza from the pizza pan onto the hot pizza stone, and bake for 15-20 minutes until crust and cheese are browned and topping is bubbling hot.  If you aren’t using a pizza stone, you could bake the pizza in the pan, or for a crisper crust, bake directly on the oven rack.

Cut the pizza into slices and serve.  Don’t be like me and burn the roof of your mouth – let it cool some before shoveling it in!

Bellissimo!

Pizza is back! My goodness I’ve missed it! Thank you Santa…! The soundtrack today features a pair of rock’s most “out there” performers. First, the wild-eyed Texan Roky Erickson and the 13th Floor Elevators with Easter Everywhere, the bands masterpiece. Loaded on acid and freaking out in Texas in the 1960s, the Elevators somehow created a cult record while Erickson lost his mind. But when it worked- as on “She Lives (In a Time of her Own)” or their version of Dylan’s “Baby Blue”, this is a seminal record, and a look back at a time when hippies walked the earth.

Long before they did The Wall or Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd was as psychedelic as they came, in large part due to their founder, Syd Barrett. Their 1967 debut, The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn is Syd’s finest moment, containing “Astronomy Domine” and “Lucifer Sam” among others, and is a trippy headrush of an album. The band went on of course to become megastars, but their “Crazy Diamond” leader wasn’t along for the ride, releasing a handful of singles and this grand album. It’s groovy, man.

→ 5 Comments

Posted in Entrees, Pork, Poultry, Product Review

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Pork Chops with Sweet Potato and Fennel Hash

Posted on December 11, 2011 by | 4 Comments

Pork chops are so easy.  They cook up quickly without much fuss, which makes them great for mid-week dinners.  I especially like pork paired with something that has a little sweetness.  Fruits like apples, cherries, and apricots are clear winners – but so are the sugars from slowly caramelized fennel, onion, and sweet potatoes in this hash.

Brining the pork chops not only infuses more flavors into the meat, but it helps ensure that the meat will stay moist and juicy when cooked.

This recipe is part of our feature on U.S. Wellness Meats, “Music and Meals to Warm You Up“.  Visit their website for free-range chicken, grass-fed beef, and other great products!

Ingredients:

  • 4 bone-in pork chops from U.S. Wellness Meats
  • 3 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 6 cups water
  • 2 bulbs fennel
  • 1 large sweet potato, cut into 1/2 inch dice
  • 1 sweet onion, cut into large dice
  • 3 slices bacon from U.S. Wellness Meats, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • extra-virgin olive oil
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground pepper or pepper blend

In a one-gallon resealable bag, mix 3 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt with the maple syrup and water.  Shake well until the salt has dissolved.  Place the pork chops in the bag, seal, and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

Preheat oven to 400F.

Remove the outer, tough layer from the fennel bulbs.  Cut each bulb in half lengthwise (top to bottom). Place cut sides down, then slice the bulbs lengthwise into 1/4 inch strips.

Place the fennel, sweet potato, and onion into a shallow roasting pan.  Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Gently toss with just enough olive oil to coat the vegetables and the pan.  Arrange the bacon pieces over the vegetables.  Roast at 400F, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are browned in places and bacon is cooked (approximately 40 minutes). 

Dry the pork chops with paper toweling.  Season with freshly ground black pepper.  (No additional salt should be needed due to the brine.)

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add a thin layer of olive oil to the skillet, and sauté two of the pork chops for approximately 4 minutes per side, until nicely browned.  (You don’t want to crowd the pan or the chops will not brown quickly and will get overdone.)  Set the cooked pork chops aside in a warm place, and repeat for the last two pork chops.  Note: Take care not to overcook.  Pork chops are done when they reach 145F, if you have a meat thermometer, and are safe to eat even if slightly pink in the center.

Serve the pork chops with the sweet potato and fennel hash…and enjoy!

Dire Straits kicked off the 1980′s with what many feel is their masterpiece, Making Movies. Guitarist Mark Knopfler hit the mark on such songs as “Romeo and Juliet”, “Tunnel of Love” and “Skateaway”, which still sound fresh 30 years later.

→ 4 Comments

Posted in Entrees, Pork, Side dishes

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Thanksgiving Round-up

Posted on November 21, 2011 by | 8 Comments

Thanksgiving is our favorite holiday.  For a cook, there is nothing quite so satisfying as planning, cooking, and serving up a feast to your family or friends. One giant meal for the day, with lots of nibbling and snacking in between.  I look forward to that first stolen bite of turkey, the privilege of which goes to the one who carves the beast.  Bits of dressing always seem to be breaking off and need to be “cleaned up” as well.

Since “She Cooks, He Cleans – The Blog” wasn’t around last Thanksgiving, there are no archived recipes for stuffing, bread pudding, or pie for me to trot out.  However I did round up a few recipes that could fit in to your Thanksgiving feast.

Ham with Candied Orange Glaze

Turkey not your thing?  This Ham with Candied Orange Glaze is perfect for Thanksgiving, and makes a beautiful presentation.  Don’t those sweet bits of orange look good?

————————-

Mashed Cauliflower with Onions and Parmesan Cheese

Mashed Cauliflower with Onions and Parmesan Cheese will change things up from the old standard of mashed potatoes.  This version using roasted cauliflower with caramelized onions will be a nice complement to rich turkey gravy.

—————————

Bacon Bourbon Jam

Don’t tell me that Bacon Bourbon Jam has no place on the holiday table.  Don’t….

————————-

Broccoli Apple Salad

How about lightening up the table from all those heavy side dishes with this refreshing Broccoli Apple Salad?  This salad is sure to be a hit with its bright colors and crisp texture.

———————

Pecan-Stuffed Dates

Having a small gathering, and you don’t want to be tempted with an entire pecan pie?  Try these delicious Pecan-Stuffed Dates for a sweet mini-dessert.  Just think, now you’ll have room for some of that pumpkin cheesecake!

———————–

Looking forward to adding more recipes this holiday season!  Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Turkey week marks the release of Some Girls: Deluxe Edition, the last truly great record by the Rolling Stones. From “Beast of Burden” to “Shattered”, I must own 3 or 4 copies of this, but this reissue, with a second disc featuring 12 songs left off the original, is a must have. Gonna be great listening to this while we have a food hangover from all these treats!

→ 8 Comments

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,